Cinnamon (Shooting Stars 1)

"That's very true." Mommy agreed, "I imagine if you're too nonchalant, you give off an air of indifference and turn off the director."

"The trick, if there is a trick, is to not think of yourself in that theater on that small stage. Cinnamon. Get into the play. You know it so well. We read it in class earlier this year," she told Mammy.

"Yes, Cinnamon loved it, and actually went around reciting some of Kate's lines long before this."

"That's wonderful," Miss Hamilton said. "Then this is meant to be."

They got into a discussion about plays they had seen and by the time we arrived at the little theater, they were laughing and joking together like old friends. It made me happy and took away some of my nervousness. but I was still so terrified. I thought my legs would surely fold up beneath me the moment I stepped onto that stage.

When we entered the theater, we were surprised to see no other candidates. The room itself was dark and there was just a small spotlight turned on, dropping a circle of light upstage.

"Edmond told me this might be the case," Miss Hamilton whispered.

"She doesn't like other candidates sitting around. watching someone else audition."

"Someone else?" Mammy said. "There's no one here at all!"

"Not true," we heard a strong, deep female voice state.

At the rear of the auditorium, seated in the shadows so that we could barely make her out was who we imagined to be Madame Senetsky herself. Her pewter gray hair was pulled tightly up into a coiled chignon at the top of her head and clipped with a large, black comb.

"Madame Senetsky?" Miss Hamilton asked.

"Of course. Please have your can

didate take the stage immediately. Promptness is essential in the theater, as it should be in life itself," she added.

"Why is she sitting in the dark?" Mommy wondered in a whisper.

"Go on. Cinnamon," Miss Hamilton said. She moved into an aisle, taking the second seat and leaving the aisle seat for Mommy.

"She could greet us at least." Mammy muttered but sat.

I started for the stage, my heart not pounding or thumping so much as it was tightening in my chest. It felt difficult to breathe. Why should I be so nervous? I wondered. There's only one person in this audience. I told myself. It's not like it was at the school play with nearly a thousand in attendance. One pair of eyes and one pair of ears are out there.

Mommy was right. Why didn't she have the decency to greet us and at least make me feel comfortable? What arrogance, I thought. I grew angrier with every step toward the stage.

Who does she think she is? She didn't win an Academy Award, did she? Most people won't remember who she is. It's impolite not to have greeted Mommy and Miss Hamilton. I felt like turning around and unleashing a tirade that would shake that chignon loose.

Instead. I stepped onto the stage, took a deep breath, closed my eyes and told myself to be Kate, to move forward into the play, to do such a good job. I would make that pompous woman feel terrible about her treatment of us.

"Well?" she cried.

If that was intended to throw me off, to unnerve me and see whether I would crack and run off the stage, it didn't work.

"Well, indeed," I whispered.

I stepped forward and began... "Fie, fie..."

I loved Kate, loved her fury and her defiance. but I also loved the way she was conquered, convinced and ultimately wooed to love Petruchio. In the end they were the most romantic, loving and considerate couple on earth. I dreamed I would have such a romance someday and such a marriage,

Miss Hamilton and Mommy clapped at the end of my speech. I stood there waiting, to hear

something, but there was just silence after that.

Then the spotlight went out. "What the..."

There was just enough light from the aisle lamps for me to make my way back to them and for us to find our way to the exit doors. When we looked for Madame Senetsky, we saw no one.